Attachment for golf clubs



Julyr13, 1937. J. BELFORE 2,086,974

' ATTACHMENT FOR GOLF cLUBs Original Filed Oct. 20, 1934 Patented July 13, 1937 UNITED STATES ATTACHMENT FOB GOLF CLUBS Joseph Bcli'ore, Detroit, Mich., assignor to .C. B.

Johnson, Detroit, Mich.

' Application october zo. 1934, smal No. 749,249

Renewed February 1.8.1937

2 Claims.

'I'his invention relates to improvements in an attachment for golf clubs ofthe character to aid the player in making a proper and accurate stroke with the club, the invention being highly desir- 5 able for use in connection with golf clubs as a separate attachment to the club, or as an integral part of the club, although the invention may have other and various uses and purposes as will be apparent to one skilled in the art.

Although the present invention is described herein as being associated with a golf club of the type commonly known as a putter,it is to be understood that the invention may be associated in the same manner, if so desired, with other types of golf clubs, or with such striking implements jas croquet mallets, for example.

It has now become almost universally accepted that for best results inputting, almost entirely a wrist action should be used. It is well known that a pendulum type of stroke would produce best results.- Iam aware that certain devices` have heretofore been provided for cooperabie association with a golf club in an endeavor to im'- prove the players stroke. However, with the ordinary golf club, especially that of the putter type, and with all of the aforesaid devices with which I was heretofore familiar, it is practically an impossibility to consistently execute a stroke closely approximating a pendulum swing. With the customary type of golf club, as well as with the devices heretofore known, an ordinary wrist action causes an opening of the face of the club during the stroke, thereby departing from a pen dulum swing and necessitating a variant in order to hit the ball-in the proper direction. In order to acquire a proper pendulum swing, the iirst linger and thumb of the left hand (considering a right handed player) should not add any material pressure to the back stroke of the swing. However, with the ordinary golf club and with devices heretofore known, the positioning of the iirst finger and thumb of the left hand has been such as to render it substantially impossible to prevent a back pressure and still keep the golf club properly guided.

With the foregoing in mind, it is an object of the present invention to provide means associated with a 'golf club in such a manner as to permit a proper back swing to be made by pressure exerted by the last two or three ngers of the leftl that the golf club shown and described herein is versed. and the .description would give a true account of the construction and usage of a left handed club equipped with the present invention. It is also an object of this invention to provide a device for association witha golf club to pro- 10 ject from the handle `of the club sumciently to accommodate two or three fingers of the left hand, whereby the entire back swing can be accomplished by pressure from these fingers alone.

Still another object of this invention is the prol5 vision of a device for removable or permanent attachment to the handle of a golf club, the device being attached in such a manner and shaped in such a manner as to permita ready and easy, substantially perfect pendulum swing of the club. 20

It is also an object of this invention to provide la device in connection with a golf club, the device projecting from the handle of the golf club in a direction opposite to the head of the club and arranged to counter-balance the club head. `5

Still a further object of this invention is the provision oi.' a device in connection with a golf' club, the device being arranged to accommodate the last two or three fingers of a hand of the player away from the shaft of the club, and the 30 arrangement being further of such a nature that the rst finger and thumb of the hand of the player may be used as a suspension or pivot for the shaft and the back swing executed by pressure from the last two or three iingers only. 35

It is also an object of this invention to provide a device either permanently or removably attached to a golf putter, the device being so shaped and arranged in disposition relatively to the putter so as to necessitate the use of only one hand 40 of the player in executing a proper putting stroke.

While some of the more salient features, characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been above pointed out, others will become apparent from the following disclosures. 45

The invention includes theseand other features of construction and combinationsof parts hereinafter described, and shown in a preferred form in the drawing, as more particularly indicated by the claims. 50

On the drawing: Figure 1 is aside elevational view of a golf club equipped with a device embodying principles of the present invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the 55 top portion of the structure shown in Figure 1 together with a human hand, this view being in side elevation taken from the opposite side of Figure l, to illustrate better the application of the fingers of the player.

Figure 3 is an enlarged plan sectional view through the device itself taken substantially as indicated by the staggered sectional line III-III of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is an enlarged side view, part in vertical section and part in elevation, the view being fragmentary and illustrating a modification in the joining of the device to the club handle.

Figure 5 -is a fragmentary plan sectional view taken substantially as indicated by the line V-V of Figure 4.

As shown on the drawing:

As stated hereinabove, the present invention will be described in connection with a golf club of the type commonly known as a putter, but it will be obvious that the invention may be associated with any type of golf club, if so desired. For example, the invention might be associated with a mashie for short chip shots. with a cleek for approach shots, with a niblick, or with substantially any other club the player may desire.

In the illustrated embodiment of this invention, there is shown a golf club including a shaft I, a putter head 2 at the lower end thereof, and a handle 3 on the upper end thereof. Associated with the upper end ofthe handle 3 is a gripping device generally indicated by reference numeral I, embodying principles of the present invention.

The gripping device is preferably substantially of the shape of a pistol grip and preferably projects almost in its entirety away from the handle of the golf club, and is shaped to accommodate the last two or three fingers 5 of the players hand l remote from the club handle, as best seen in Figure 2. l

The device may be made of any desirable or suitable material, such as metal or a phenolic or alcoholic condensation product. In the case of a wooden shafted golf club, the device may also be of wood, if desired. 'I'he preferable form, however, is to cast the device from aluminum. If so desired, the weight of the device may be such as to counter-balance the weight of the head 2 of the golf club to a desirable extent, the device usually projecting from the handle of a golf club in a direction opposite to that of the club head 2.

One form of making the device is shown best in Figure 3. In this instance, the device is cast into two shells or half-portions, 1 and 8, respectively, the portion 1 preferably telescoping within the portion 8. Each of the shells 1 and 8 is provided with an arcuate portion 9 for embracing the handle 3 of the club, and each of the shells is also provided with internal bosses I0 and I I, respectively, which, when the shells are placed I in cooperative position, confront each other. These confronting bosses are internally threaded to accommodate screws I2 and I3, respectively, by means of which the two halves of the device are held together rigidly embracing the handle of the club. Of course, the heads of the screws are preferably disposed in countersunk openings inthe surface of the shell 1 When the device is assembled around the handle 3 of the shaft, the side walls I4 of the shell 8 preferably overlie the side walls I5 of the shell 1, so that the device is smooth and comfortable to the hand and pleasing in appearance.

The thickness and size of the device maybe graduated as desired to best fit the hand of the user and also to acquire the proper proportion of metal or weight of the device. It so desired, the club vshaft may be shortened to a desirable extent, to provide the desired .length of shaft after the attachment of the device, for any individual player.

In mounting the gripping member lupon the handle of the club shaft, the shell I is first placed upon the handle with one of the side walls Il oi' this shell overlying the upper end of the handle. The shell 1 can then be telescoped within the shell 8 and the screws I2 and I3 tightened into position clamping the two shells around the upper portion of the handle 3. If so desired, the screws I 2 and I3 need only be loosened a sulilcient extent, and the'gripping member pushed downwardly over the -topof the handle 8, the screws being tightened into position after .the placing of the gripping member.

After so mounting thegrippins' member upon the club handle, it will be seen that the major portion of the gripping member projects rearwardly of the handle or shaft. Only that relatively small portion of the gripping member necessary to embrace the forward space of the handie or shaft, to hold the device rigidly in position, is disposed inprojecting alignment with the club head.

'Ihe depth of the device is varied at 'intervals to provide finger notches I, this variation in depth shaping the device to substantially that of a pistol grip. With such construction, as best seen in Figure 2, the last two or three fingers of theleft hand (when the player is using a right handed club) may be accommodated' on the gripping device away from the club handle. The rst finger I1 and the thumb Il of theplayers left hand are disposed in substantially embracing position around the club handle, although the thumb may not exactly contact the handle of the club but may rest upon the front surface of the device. The rear face I9 of the device preferably rests substantially in the palm of the hand against the heel of the thumb. When s0 grasped, the back swing of the club may be made by pressure from the last two or three fingers 5 of the left hand only, this pressure being exerted with the aid of a slight wrist movement in a direction opposite to the line oi' flight. During the back swing, the foreilnger I1 and thumb I 8 are preferably held sufllciently loosely to merely function as a suspension or pivot for the club shaft and preferably exert no pressure to aid the back swing. In this manner, the club head may be brought back in a substantially straight line in keeping with the line of flight, and the movement is steadied, resulting in a substantially perfect pendulum stroke of the club. The right hand, of course, may be disposed downwardly on the club shaft in advance of the left hand in position to be used in stroking the ball. The right hand preferably exerts no pressure, however, in the back swing of the club. It will be noted that with such an arrangement and in the manner above outlined, with a relatively short putt, the player need only hold the club in his left hand, make the back swing withpressure of the last two or three fingers of the left hand, release the pressure and permit gravity to execute the shot, utilizing the foreiinger and thumb of the left hand as a suspension pivot for the action of the club.

In Figures 4 and 5. I have shown how the gripping device may be applied to a club shaft in ord'er to be substantially integral with the shaft rather than be selectively removable therefrom, as is the device described above. In this instance, I have shown a metal device attached to a metal shaft 20, the upper end of the shaft having had portions thereof cut away to provide longitudinally extending key-ways 2 l.

In mounting the device 22 on the shaft, the shaft is ilrst finished and a plug 23 inserted in the upper end thereof to prevent an innow of metal into the hollow of the shaft. The shaft is then utilized as a core and the gripping device is cast around the upper portion of the shaft, the metal flowing into the key-way 2| to anchor the gripping device securely to the shaft. The gripping member is of substantially the same shape and character as the one previously described, including the inger notches I6, with the exception that it cannot be removed from the upper end of the shaft. y

The operation and use o f the structure shown in Figures 4 and 5 is substantially the same as that previously described. It will also be understood that a wooden gripping member might be formed integrally with a wooden golf club shaft, if so desired.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that I have provided a gripping device for association with the handle of a golf club, the device being in the form substantially of a pistol grip and aiding the player in making a substantially perfect pendulum swing of the golf club, permitting a back .swing of the club as the result of pressure exerted by the last two or three lingers of the left hand only. It will also be readily understood that the device is equally adaptable for use in connection with left handed golf clubs, it simply being necessary to mount the device in the opposite direction to a right handed club. In other words, it ispreferable to have the device extend away from the shaft in a direction opposite to the direction of the club head. Accordingly, if the device is used upon a left handed club, the

gripping device is heldin the players right hand.

No change in construction of the device is necessary for it to be used with either a left handed or a right handed club. A

It will also be noted that the device'is simple in construction, yet very highly effective in use, may be easily carried and handled, and may be economically manufactured. v

I am aware that many changes may be made and numerous details of construction may be varied through a wide range without departing from the principles of this invention and I, therefore, do not purpose limiting the patent granted hereon otherwise than necessitated by the prior art..

I claim as my invention:

1. As an article of manufacture, a gripping de` vice attachable to the handle of an impact delivering member, said device including a pair of substantially complemental shells having interiitting parts to assure alignment, said shells being shaped to accommodate the fingers of a user and having an opening therein closed at one end for receiving a portion of the handle of said member, and means for joining said shells over the handle portion, the closed ends of said openings serving to limit the position of said article on a golf club when thereto applied.

2. As an article of manufacture, a gripping device attachable to the handle of a golf club, said device comprising two substantially complemental parts having interfltting anges to assure alignment and each part having a substantially semicylindrical portion closedat one end and adapted to fit about the end of the club handle, said closed ends of the semi-cylindrical portions abutting the end of the handle and limiting position of said article on a golf club when thereto applied, removable means for securing said parts together about the handle, and said parts being shaped to provide a series of notches in stepped formation outwardly from the handle to accommodate the -ngers of the user.

JOSEPH BELFORE. 

